**Summary of Notification S.O. 2516(E): Limitation of Working Hours for Below-Ground Mine Workers**
**Overview**
The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, issued notification S.O. 2516(E) on May 13, 2026, as published in *The Gazette of India: Extraordinary* (No. 2424) on May 14, 2026. This notification establishes specific limits on the daily shift duration for personnel engaged in underground mining operations.
**Legal Basis**
The Central Government exercised its powers under the first proviso to sub-clause (i) of sub-section (1) of Section 25 of the Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (Act 37 of 2020).
**Key Provisions and Metrics**
* **Target Personnel:** Persons employed in the "below ground working of the mine."
* **Shift Limitation:** The notification mandates that each shift for these workers shall not exceed **eight hours** in a single day.
**Administrative Details**
* **Issuing Authority:** Ministry of Labour and Employment, New Delhi.
* **Signatory:** Alok Chandra, Senior Labour and Employment Advisor.
* **File Reference:** F. No. S-65025/7/2026-ISH-II.
* **Publication Registration:** REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99.
* **Official Gazette Identification:** CG-DL-E-17052026-272642.
**Contact and Publication Information**
The document was uploaded by the Directorate of Printing at the Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064, and published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.
Key Entities Referenced
Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020: The principal central legislation governing the safety, health, and working conditions of employees, providing the legal framework for this notification.
Section 25 of the Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020: The specific legal provision that empowers the Central Government to notify the maximum allowable working hours for persons employed in mines.
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The primary government ministry responsible for issuing this notification and regulating labor welfare and safety standards.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-17052026-272642
CG-DxLx-xEG-I1D7H0x5x2x0 26-272642
xxxGIDExxx
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 2424] नई दिल्ली, बृिस्ट्प जतिार, मई 14, 2026/ििै ाख 24, 1948
No. 2424] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026/VAISAKHA 24, 1948
श्रम और रोिगार मत्रं ालय
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 13 मई, 2026
का.आ. 2516 (अ).— केंद्रीय सरकार, उपिीजिका िन् य सुरक्षा स्ट्िास्ट््य और काययििा संजिता, 2020 (2020 का
37) की धारा 25 की उपधारा (1) के उपखंड (i) के पिल े परंतकु द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करत े हुए, खान के भू-तल के
नीच े के काम म ेंजनयोजित व्यजियों के जलए एक दिन म ेंआठ घंटे स ेअनजधक की प्रत्येक जिफ्ट (पारी) अजधसूजचत करती ि।ै
[फा. स.ं एस-65025/7/2026-आईएसएच-II]
आलोक चद्रं , िररष्ठ श्रम और रोिगार सलािकार
3500 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 13th May, 2026
S.O. 2516(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by first proviso to sub-clause (i) of sub-section (1) of
section 25 of the Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (37 of 2020), the Central Government
hereby notifies not more than eight hours for each shift in a day for the persons employed in below ground working of
the mine.
[F. No. S-65025/7/2026-ISH-II]
ALOK CHANDRA, Senior Labour And Employment Advisor
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.